Staying here
The guest house has three double-sized bedrooms (a double with ensuite bathroom and two twin rooms), a living room/kitchen and a veranda equipped with hammocks and hummingbird feeders. Larger groups can be accommodated by using guest rooms within the main house. Guests have free use of the pool, fishing lake and forest trails.
Eating ...
As far as possible and depending on season, meals include ingredients produced on the farm, including eggs, fish, fruit and vegetables. All other produce is bought fresh from local markets. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in the dining room of the main house, overlooking a wooded area and small stream, or in the covered barbecue area (see photo above), next to an area where many colourful bird species come to feed.
Relaxing ...
The large living room of the main house, with 10 metre ceiling, mezzanine and magnificent views of the farm and forest, is also available for enjoying games, reading, listening to music and in the winter (June-August) sitting in front of a log fire.
... and discovering
For those looking simply for relaxation and an introduction to the natural beauty of the area, the farm is a self-contained location where all daily needs are provided. Depending on the preferences of individual groups or visitors, packages can be designed to experience the natural and cultural variety of the region, either through day trips or longer excursions staying in pousadas (guest houses) including some within traditional fishing communities on the coast. Various activities can be arranged including caving, waterfall adventure (rope-bridges, abseiling etc), sea fishing, dolphin-watching and hikes in primary forest.
Tucuxi dolphins, Cananeia estuary
Pricing
The cost of acommodation will depend on numbers and the length of stay. A quotation will be given on request if you contact us. The pricing reflects a contribution towards the running costs of the property, and the investment we have made in preserving an area of outstanding beauty and conservation importance. Without our presence, the surrounding forest would be highly vulnerable to over-hunting, unsustainable plant poaching, encroachment by neighbouring farms, and ultimate destruction.
A bird-guide service is offered for birdwatching on the farm and in the surrounding area -- for more details click here.
Ilha do Cardoso
Climate and seasons
The farm is just South of the Tropic of Capricorn (which runs through São Paulo) and therefore technically sub-tropical rather than tropical. The weather is generally wetter than on the plateau, and cooler than on the coast. Very commonly the day will open with thick fog rising off the forest, with a rapid rise in temperature from 8-9am as the sun breaks through. To get an idea of what it is like now, see this live forecast (type Miracatu in the box in the orange field marked "Previsão para as cidades").
Very broadly, the year is divided into the following seasons, allowing for plenty of variation:
Summer (December to February): Hot, humid and wet. Typically daytime temperatures will rise to the mid-30s C, and break into dramatic thunderstorms in the afternoon and at night. Especially in January, it is possible for this pattern to give way to prolonged periods of heavy rain. The rain generally becomes less frequent as the summer progresses. Very lively birdlife.
Autumn (March to May): Much more pleasant, with days often still getting pretty hot but the humidity easing off, and rain more spaced out. This is an excellent period for birdwatching as it is the fruiting period of the juçara palm tree (Euterpe edulis) which brings fruit-eating birds such as toucans and cotingas close to the house.
Winter (June to August): Roughly speaking this is the dry season, although periods of drizzle are not uncommon. During this time the weather can fluctuate very widely: if it is overcast the temperature will remain distinctly cool, not rising above 20 during the day, but as soon as the sun comes out it can easily shoot up to 30 or even more. When it is sunny, this can be the most pleasant time of year, equivalent to a nice European summer. Although some migrating bird species are absent during this period, scarcity of native fruit in forest brings many birds such as tanagers and parakeets to feeders near house.
Spring: (September to November): Similar to autumn in terms of temperature, a very pleasant time of year. The most lively and noisy for birdlife as migrating species arrive from the North, and join in hot competition for territory and nest space, .
